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Introducing Chickpeas to Babies
The chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae. Today, India is one of the largest producers of chickpeas in the world. Chickpeas are an excellent source of plant-based protein, zinc, iron, fibre, and phosphorous. You can consume chickpeas for breakfast or you can even have them for dinner. But can chickpeas be given to babies? If you have this question in mind, then worry not. Read to know if you can provide chickpeas to your little one.
When Can You Introduce Chickpeas to Infants?
Chickpeas can be introduced to babies once they reach eight months of age. However, the best time to add chickpeas to your baby's diet is between eight and ten months of age.
Different Types of Chickpeas
Chickpeas are of two types–the large, white or beige coloured are known as 'Kabuli gram' or 'garbanzo beans' and the smaller, harder ones are known as 'Bengal gram'. Bengal gram can vary in colour from dark green to reddish brown.
Nutritional Value of Garbanzo Beans
One cup of boiled chickpeas (164 grams) contains 269 calories. Find out what other nutrients chickpeas contain:
NUTRIENTS
AMOUNT
Carbohydrates
45gms
Fibre
12.5gms
Protein
14.5gms
Fat
4.2gms
Vitamins
Vitamin B6
0.2mg
Vitamin K
6.6micrograms
Folate
282 micrograms
Minerals
Phosphorus
276mg
Copper
0.6mg
Iron
4.7mg
Magnesium
78.7mg
Zinc
2.5mg
Potassium
477mg
Calcium
80mg
Source: https://draxe.com/chickpeas-nutrition/
Benefits of Chickpeas for Infants
The benefits of giving chickpeas to babies are umpteen. Find out how chickpeas can help in the development of your baby.
1. The Growth of the Baby
Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein. In fact, chickpeas and beans are the core source of protein in a vegetarian diet. Proteins are necessary for the creation of new cells, muscle, cartilage, blood, hormones and enzymes in a baby. A growing baby needs high amounts of protein to fuel growth. Thus, giving chickpeas to a baby meets his protein requirement.
2. Brain Development
Chickpeas even contain a small number of polyunsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are essential for your baby, as they help in brain development, provide energy, and soften the skin. Unsaturated fats are also necessary to move around certain fat-soluble vitamins, from one part of the body to another.
3. Prevents Anaemia
Chickpeas are an excellent source of iron. Iron is a necessary element for the creation of new red blood cells. If the body doesn’t get the requisite amount of iron, it fails to create new red blood cells resulting in a decline of active red-blood cells. This condition is called anaemia. Thus, chickpeas can prevent anaemia in babies.
4. Strengthens Bones and Muscles
Calcium is necessary for the growth of bones and to maintain the health of the teeth. It also plays a role in muscle contraction and nerve stimulation in its elemental molecular form. Chickpeas contain calcium in adequate amounts and can serve as a supplementary source of calcium to milk.
5. Promotes Digestive Health
Chickpeas provide the right amount of fibre. Fibre helps bind food waste and supports proper bowel movement. Bacteria in the large intestine can metabolise the fibre in chickpeas to produce “Short-Chain Fatty-Acids” (SCFAs). These SCFAs serve as a fuel to intestinal cells, renewing their health and lowering the risk of colon problems such as colon cancer.
6. Helps In Absorption of Nutrients From Other Foods
Your little one has a digestive system that is transitioning to solid food. It means that they need to have everything in their dietary arsenal to ensure that they get the maximum nutrition. Chickpeas contain Manganese which helps the body absorb nutrients like Vitamin B and Vitamin E better.
7. Improves the Health of the Heart
The presence of soluble fibre, antioxidants and polyunsaturated fats make chickpeas valuable food to maintain the health of the heart. A moderate daily intake of garbanzo has been seen to lower LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol in a one month period. While bad cholesterol levels aren’t generally associated with infant health, cholesterol levels build up through life. That is why children who grow up overweight are highly at risk of future cardiovascular disease.
8. Promotes Cell Regeneration
Chickpeas contain Folate which is a type of vitamin. It is necessary for the recreation of DNA, which happens every time a new cell is created, making it a crucial part of cell formation and a child’s growth.
9. Lowers Risk Of Diabetes
Chickpeas contain complex carbohydrates, which the body breaks down and obtains energy from slowly. Easily released energy from foods such as sugar and white rice can cause spikes and dips in blood sugar that could aggravate a child’s pre-existing condition of hypoglycaemia or type-1 diabetes. A diet rich in slow-energy-releasing carbohydrates in place of refined (fast-releasing carbohydrates) reduces the risk of type-2 diabetes in the future. This is particularly important to pay attention to if relatives of the mother of the father have diabetes.
10. Strengthens The Immune System
Zinc helps your baby’s immune system. It is also essential for the functioning of more than 70 types of enzymes in the body.
After Effects of Consuming Chickpeas for Infants
1. Gas
Legumes such as garbanzo beans that have a high protein content can cause intestinal gas in toddlers. The severity of gas varies from person to person. It is advised to introduce chickpeas in small amounts into your child’s diet, giving their metabolic processes time to get used to the new food. A little flatulence shouldn’t be a cause for worry, however, if the severity of gas is so high that it causes stomach pains and discomfort, stop immediately.
2. Allergy
Children who are allergic to soy or other lentils or even latex are likely to be allergic to chickpeas. Also, if you have a relative with a history of allergy to chickpeas, it would be best to test for allergy in your child.
Chickpea allergy most commonly causes nasal congestion. It sometimes precipitates in outbreaks of eczema or hives. In extreme cases, it could even cause anaphylaxis.
Early warning signs for intolerance:
Acne
Fatigue
Loss of breath
A running nose
A headache
Bloating
Itchy skin
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
How to Select and Store Garbanzo beans for Baby?
A batch of fresh garbanzo beans will all be firm, clean and of the same colour. Do not pick if they look shrivelled.
Choose uncooked chickpea seeds. They can easily be stored in an air-tight container or the plastic bag they come in.
Pre-cooked or roasted chickpeas have a limited shelf life. Furthermore, roasting degrades some of its nutritional value.
Store cooked chickpeas in the refrigerator.
Easy Garbanzo Cooking Tips
Rinse the seeds under running water, rub them with your fingers and clean them before soaking.
Soak raw chickpeas overnight before you cook them or they will be inedible. If you do not have a whole night, but you still do have about 5 – 6 hours, soak them in warm water, for quicker absorption. This applies to Kabuli gram which being softer, requires less soaking than Bengal gram.
Not all chickpea seeds may cook evenly. You may find a few of them still relatively hard after cooking. Mash cooked chickpea before feeding it to your infant. This way you can avoid any hard ones, which could pose a choking hazard.
Soaking in water and later cooking, will double the size of the chickpeas, so measure accordingly!
Chickpeas are heavy, so introduce them in tiny amounts to your baby.
If your baby doesn't mind the taste, add ginger and garlic while cooking garbanzo. These aid digestion and reduce gas.
Do not add softening agents like baking powder when cooking chickpeas. It will increase the sodium content of the food. High sodium in the blood is associated with weight gain, high blood pressure and linked diseases.
Homemade Chickpea Recipes for Babies
Chickpeas can be smoothly pureed after cooking, making them an excellent base for some yummy baby food!
1. Chickpeas and Vegetables Puree
Pure, natural goodness makes a smooth and healthy chickpea dish for babies.
Ingredients
Chickpeas (Kabuli or Bengal)– 3tbsp (Soaked Overnight)
Potato cut into small pieces – 1 small
Tomato sliced – 1 small
Green Peas (Fresh or frozen) – 1 tbsp
Method
Cook the chickpeas in about 1 cup of water, in a pressure cooker for 6 whistles.
Cook the other vegetables in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles.
Drain the excess water from the cookers. Leave a small amount of the water to aid in mashing.
Blend in a blender or mash manually.
2. Chickpeas and Peas Seasoned Puree
This chickpea puree recipe for babies is a dish that even adults will enjoy!
Ingredients
Garbanzo Beans (a.k.a Kabuli gram) – 5tbsp (Soaked overnight)
Peas (Fresh or frozen) – 2tbsp
Garlic – 1clove
Cumin – 1pinch
Vegetable oil (or any other oil, butter or ghee to sauté) – 1tsp
Method
Cook the garbanzo beans in a pressure cooker, with 1.5 cups of water. Cook for 6 whistles.
Cook the green peas in a pressure cooker with 1 cup of water, for 2 whistles.
Saute the garlic (chopped finely) and the cumin.
Add the cooked beans and green peas, with a little bit of broth water from the green peas and mix all the ingredients well.
Blend or mash the dish to serve!
*The garlic and cumin in this dish help with gas. The broth water is taken from the cooked green peas as removing the water from the cooked chickpeas reduces some gas causing agents in it.
3. Chickpea and Apple Curry
This dish harmonises the distinctly sweet taste of apple and sweet potato with the savoury flavour of bell peppers.
Ingredients
Garbanzo Beans – 4tbsp (soaked overnight)
Potato – 1 small (diced)
Sweet potato – 1 small (diced)
Apple (red) – 1 (diced)
Red Bell Pepper – 1 small (cut and de-seeded)
Onion – ½ of 1small onion (chop finely)
Green Peas (fresh or frozen) – ½ cup
Olive oil (can be replaced by other vegetable oil) – 1tbsp
Curry powder – 1 and ½ tsp
Method
Cook the garbanzo in 1 cup water for 6 whistles in a pressure cooker.
Cook the peas in 1 cup water for 2 whistles in a pressure cooker.
In a pan (pan with a lid is preferred), heat the oil.
Add the potato, sweet potato, onion and the curry powder. Mix well and saute.
Cook with closed lid on a low flame until potatoes become tender.
Add the red bell pepper, and the drained chickpeas and green peas. Mix it and cook on a low flame with the lid closed, for another 5 minutes.
Add the diced apple and cook it uncovered, until the apple becomes soft.
When cooled, blend this in a mixture.
4. Chickpea Puree with Apple and Pear
The relative blandness of chickpeas helps to mix it easily into sweet and savoury dishes. This dish makes use of only the natural sweetness of the ingredients.
Ingredients
Garbanzo beans – 1 tbsp (soaked overnight)
Pear – 1 (diced)
Apple Juice – 6tbsp
Raisins – 1 and ½ tsp
Cinnamon – 2pinch
Method
Cook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker for 6 whistles. Drain and keep aside.
Put the pear, raisins and apple juice in a pan and bring it to a boil.
Once it achieves boiling temperature, reduce flame and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
Add the chickpeas and continue cooking for 3 minutes.
Add cinnamon and puree. Use more apple juice if it is too dry to blend.
5. Chickpea, Banana and Pumpkin Puree
Another sweet chickpea dish for your baby!
Ingredients
Pumpkin – 1 and ½ tbsp
Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans) – ½ tbsp (soaked overnight)
Banana – ½ of a small, ripe banana
Method
Cook the chickpeas in water.
Finely chop up the pumpkin and cook it with a little water in a pan until it is soft and pasty.
Blend all the ingredients and serve!
Chickpeas are an excellent food to introduce to your child. It’s short, and long-term health benefits make it worthwhile for a child to develop a taste for it!
Also Read: Health Benefits of Sabudana for Babies Read more
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How To Teach Your Child To Write His Name - 10 Fun Ways
Teaching a child to write his name should not be done just for fun but to prepare him for school. By teaching your child to write his name, you develop his motor skills, preparing him for school and even give him a concrete identity all in one swoop. It is also a fun activity for parents to teach the child how to write his name before he goes to kindergarten.
Let us look at a few ways to teach 3-year-olds to write their names:
How to Teach a Kid to Write His Name
Here’s how you can teach your children to write their names in a fun way:
1. Use an outline
You can print his name as an outline so that it will be easier for him to understand how to write his name. In a Word document, select a large font and type his name, choose the outline option, and print it. Print out multiple copies of the same for your little one. Hold your child's hand and make him write on the outline using a pencil. With enough practice, your child will master the art of writing his name.
2. Fingerpaint
The movements required to write a name can be hard for your child, and this is where finger painting comes in as a fun activity. You can use salt, shaving cream, or even pudding on a tray, and make your child trace his name on it either using his finger or a writing tool. This has the advantage that it can be used as much as possible without much of a mess.
3. Teach him outdoors
You can always try to teach him outdoors in the midst of nature. Write his name on your driveway with a chalk in a large font and then ask your child to write it as large. Eventually, you can reduce the size of the letters and make it suitable for a paper.
4. Trace over highlighter
This is another cost-effective and easy-to-do method. Trace out your child's name on a paper using a thick highlighter. All now that your child has to do is practice by keeping his pencil marks within the colour of the highlighter and gradually his motor skills will develop.
5. Slate and chalk
There is a reason why slates still remain the age-old method for teaching a child to write. Also using slate and chalk to teach a child is a cost-effective method. Just give your child a chalk or slate pencil, and sit with him so that you can guide him as to how to spell his name on the slate.
6. Sign up and sign in
Once your child learns to write his name, do not stop at that. Practice makes a man perfect, so make sure that he is practising enough. To make it fun, make your child ‘sign up’ if he wants something. For example, if he wants a snack, he has to write his name; if he wants to play with his favourite electronic gadget, he will have to sign in. This could be fun for a child.
7. Dry erase markers on a window
Children love scribbling on the windows and walls and no matter what you do to stop them from scribbling on your beautifully painted walls, they won't listen to you. So, why not make this scrawling productive? Channel their energy into a positive experience by providing some dry erase markers to your child and making him have fun by practising his name on a window or wall.
8. Cut-outs
Initially, you may have to teach your children to identify letters. This can be made fun by searching through old magazines for the letters in his name and cutting it out specifically to make a collage of his name.
9. Spaghetti
This is the only time when you will encourage your child to play with food, but if it does good to your child, then why not? You can give your child spaghetti or noodles, and encourage him to spell out his name using the strands. This can be a fun experience for your child.
10. Make a song
In order to get your child to learn the spelling of his name, you can make up a silly song which spells it out and sing it. Your child is sure to sing it himself, and he will gradually learn the spelling of his name without much effort.
There are many ways as to how to teach your pre-schoolers to write their name- however, try to make it as fun as possible for your child.
Also Read: Motor Skills Development in Childhood Read more
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This Holi, Keep Your Child Safe With Natural, Homemade Colours
As the 'Festival of Colours' is around the corner, everyone is set to smear vibrant colours on their near and dear ones. Every nook and corner of markets are donned with a myriad of colours. Unfortunately, they are synthetic in nature and made of extremely toxic chemicals that are not only harmful to us but also pollute the environment. Cheap chemicals like lead oxide, copper sulphate, aluminium bromide and mercury sulphate in these seemingly innocent colours can cause much discomfort to our body ranging from mild rashes, brittle and dry hair, itching and burning skin, and puffy eyes to severe long-term effects like bronchial asthma, allergic reactions, renal diseases, temporary blindness and even skin cancer. Moreover, it is young children who play Holi the most and hence are most prone to the harmful effects of these chemical colours. We, as parents, get extra cautious and decide not to let our children play with such colours although deep inside the heart we know Holi without colours is nothing but a damp squib. Some of us even resort to costly Eco-friendly colours that are nowadays available in the market although their reliability is unknown. So do we have any other options?? Yes, of course !! Just look in your kitchen and you will get a handful of natural and safe items from which you can make a variety of colours. So let me share you with some DIY ideas on how to make safe, natural and pocket-friendly colours at home for Holi. For this, we need a colouring agent and a base. We will use different vegetables and herbs as a colouring agent while cornflour is used as a base. You can also use rice flour or gram flour (besan) as a base as all the three have dust-like properties but the reason why I prefer cornflour over the other two is due to its anti-sticking properties. Cornflour doesn't stick on the skin when it gets wet.
1. Red
Take 2 – 3 beetroots and chop them up into little cubes. Grind them in the mixer to make a fine paste. Sieve the paste and you will get a dark pink juice. Now take corn flour and start adding few spoons of beetroot juice to it until you get a red or dark pink coloured powder. Make sure that you add the juice in small instalments so that you get the desired colour in right consistency.
2. Yellow
This is the easiest colour to make. All you need is turmeric in either powder or raw form. Powdered turmeric is mixed with besan or gram flour to get the desired colour. Another way is to grind the raw turmeric and add it to cornflour or gram flour. The idea behind using the raw form is that it is much purer than the powdered form. This yellow colour for Holi will also give your child a much brighter and glowing skin after he removes the colour.
3. Green
Take a handful of spinach. Blanch it in warm water and make a fine paste of it. Strain the paste and you will get a dark green juice. Now add this juice bit-by-bit to cornflour and you will get a bright green dry colour to play Holi with your family and friends.
4. Blue
Add a few drops of blue food colour that is used to make cakes to cornflour and mix well. You will get a marvellous light blue colour. You can also add indigo powder in place of food colour.
5. Orange
Make red and yellow colour as described above. Now mix the two colours and you will get a beautiful orange colour.
6. Brown
Mix red and blue coloured powder together to get a brown colour. Another way is to add henna powder and amla ( Indian gooseberry) powder in the ratio of 1:3 to get the desired colour.
7. Black
Mix red, yellow and blue coloured powder together to make black colour.
Likewise, you can do some more experiments with these colours by mixing and matching to get a variety of shades to play this Holi. You can also add a drop of essential oils like lavender, rose or sandalwood (chandan) or even rose water to give a nice smell to these Holi colours. So just don't keep your child in his room and spoil the festive mood this Holi. Let's not scare children by using harmful chemicals. Let this Holi be fun-filled and also safe for your family, especially your child with easy-to-make eco-friendly homemade colours.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her.
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Funny Names - When a 16 Months Old Labels Objects
Do you have a nursery with Kuku, Brownie, Tada and Chuchu sitting on the headboard to keep a watch? Toddlers’ referring to objects with cute names is a normal developmental milestone. Yes, kids love to give meaningful names to their soft toys, dolls, and other favourite things!
It's common to find toddlers referring to objects and toys with cute baby names. You have done it too! There are these stuffed animal's and favourite dolls called ‘Mixed Tiger’ and ‘Bluebell ‘ that'll surely leave you enchanted. Here’s why toddlers love naming objects with terms that make good sense only to them!
Toddlers Labelling Objects with Meaning- Why They Do It
1. It Helps Them Create A World of Their Own
Do you remember calling your first doll Pinky Baby? And then, there was Cabbage, a small area in your garden at home. Just like you did in your younger days, small kids love to give official names to their dolls, toys and stuffed animals. Assigning names to objects helps a child create a make-believe world that’s their very own. It gives them a sense of possessiveness too.
2. They Can Now Relate to Various Objects
“Nosh, why are you walking so slowly today?” “Geez run along if you need a bone!” It’s certainly cute to find your toddler talking to his grey elephant or purple dog this way. Even though he’s trying to communicate with wooden or cloth pull toys, your 16-months-old playing with pull toys with names shows that he has attained a development milestone that makes him relate to individual objects with the right commands.
3. Names Help Them Connect to Their Favourite Items
Be it at a nursery school, play area, crèche, or at home, you'll have many interesting names reaching your ears. Tots love calling their favourite items by name- they are friends after all! So, is it Jerry- a white teddy, Llewellyn- a green dragon, or Humphrey- a hedgehog? Which are the common dolls' and stuffed animal's names that excite you the most?
4. Role Play Helps in Making Friends
Toddlers labelling objects with meaning during playtime goes a long way in making them friendlier and more sociable when they have to deal with other kids. They learn how to take turns, share with friends and empathise with others. Don’t be surprised if you find your little one organising a small tea party and mumbling “There’s just one cookie. Let's give a small piece to Princess Patty, and a bit to Brownie Bunny.” She is in the process of attaining a new developmental chapter in her life.
How Do Toddlers Name Their Playthings?
16-months-old labelling objects would go about the process by referring to the colors, unique traits, or catchy features of everyday things, stuffed toys, and favourite play areas. For instance, a stuffed dolly with a pink dress and blonde pigtails wouldn't be “ Bluebell”. She is likelier to be “Pink Fairy"!
Along with gaining confidence, encouraging free play and giving vent to their creativity, assigning names to objects also helps growing children understand the world better. Read more
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A. this needs proper examination to find out problems like appendicitis. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
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A. consult your doctor for any evaluation required. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
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